Merchandise cartons



1967 T. B. BOWMAN ETAL MERCHANDI SE CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1965 Fla! INVENTOR. THOMAS B. BOWMAN MARK R. KRE/DER M {WW FIG. 2

A #arney 1967 T.B. BOWMAN ETAL 3,305,079

MERCHANDISE CARTONS 4 SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 12 INVENTOR. THOMAS E. BOWMAN MARK R KREIDER BY 0 Feb. 21, 1967 115, BOWMAN L 3,305,079

MERCHANDI SE CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 12, 1965 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. THOMAS E. BOWMAN MARK R1 KRE/DD? A Harvey Feb. 21, 1967 Filed July '12, 1965 T. B. BOWMAN ETAL MERCHANDISE CARTONS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. THOMAS 5. BOWMAN MARK R. KRE/DER Maw United States Patent 3,305,079 MERCHANDISE CARTONS Thomas B. Bowman, Cleona, and Mark R. Kreider, Lebanon, Pa., assignors to Lebanon Paper Box Manufacturing Co., Incorporated, Lebanon, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,111 11 Claims. (Cl. 206-45.31)

This invention relates to merchandise cartons, and more particularly to an improved merchandise carton which features an expansible tubular body into which selected mechandise may be inserted through an open end thereof, and whose open end is closed by an end wall structure hinged to the tubular body and which is automatically erected and interlocked to the expanded tubular body when swung from collapsed into end closing position.

Merchandise cartons constructed in accordance with this invention are characterized by an expansible tubular body composed of a series of foldably connected body forming panels, and into which selected merchandise can be inserted through an open end thereof. This invention features the provision of an end closure structure formed as an end extension of one of the tubular body forming panels. The end closure structure presents an outer end wall section or panel and an inner end Wall section or panel which are foldably connected at adjacent edge portions thereof to one of the tubular body panels, and which outer and inner end wall panels are also foldably joined to each other by a connecting spacer section. When the end closure structure is swung from its extended collapsed position into tubular body closing position, the inner end wall panel thereof telescopes into the expanded tubular body and extends in spaced parallelism to the outer end wall panel positioned adjacent the outer end of the tubular body.

Means are provided for locking the erected end closure structure to the expanded tubular body which includes an abutment lip, cut-out or captured from the connecting spacer section of the end closure structure, and which projects from the inner end wall panel when the end wall structure is erected. A lock flap, hinged to one end of that tubular body panel which is positioned adjacent the connecting spacer section of the erected end wall structure, is engaged and swung inwardly by the inner end wall panel as it swings into the tubular body. The lock flap thus becomes disposed between the outer face of the connecting section of the erected end wall structure and the inner face of the adjacent body panel to which the lock flap is foldably connected. When the inner end wall panel has been fully inserted into thev expanded tubular body, the free edge of the inturned lock flap will resiliently snap into abutment against the abutment lip extending from the inner end wall panel end wall structure in final end closing position.

Merchandise cartons may be constructed in accordance with this invention in various sizes, shapes and forms best suited to accommodate the merchandise to be packaged therein. For example, the tubular body may be made of any desired length and composed of any desired number of foldably connected body forming panels to provide an expanded tubular body which may be square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal or any other desired polygonal shape. To provide for visual display of the merchandise contained therein, one or more of the body forming panels may be provided with a window forming cut-out in the intermediate portion thereof which is covered by a sheet of transparent material.

Merchandise cartons of this invention, made in attractive shapes and form, and provided with or without 3,305,079 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 a transparent window in the tubular body thereof, may be advantageously used for the packaging display of candies, confections, and other edible products; or cigars, pipes and other smoking products; or handkerchiefs, gloves, socks, stockings, and other wearing apparel. Merchandise cartons made in accordance with this invention may also be advantageously used in the packaging of numerous and varied fragile products, since the inner end wall panels of the end closure structures thereof may be employed to provide cushioned support mounts for the ends of the fragile product packaged in the carton.

While all the exposed surfaces of these merchandise cartons may present decorative or informative printing, these cartons are so made and assembled that they can be produced from blanks which are imprinted on one side thereof only. Hence, the decorative or printed patterns to appear on the exposed faces of the individual carton are printed on only one side of large sheets or rolls of paperboard or fibreboard material, and the printed sheets or rolls then run through a cutting and scoring machine which scores and blanks-out the individual carton forming blanks.

These carton forming blanks may be automatically and economical-1y assembled int-o collapsed shell form, in a limited number of gluing and folding operations, and in a single pass through a high speed gluing and folding machine. The collapse-d shells as thus produced may be shipped and stored in minimum space for subsequent filling with merchandise.

The collapsed shells are designed to be automatically expanded, loaded with merchandise, closed and locked in a high speed operation by feeding the collapsed shells and merchandise charges into a packaging machine which operates to automatically expand the tubular body of successive collapsed shells, injects the selected merchandise charge into the expanded tubular body through one or both open ends thereof, and then swin gably erects the end closure structure or structures in locked end closing position at high packaging speeds.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the discl-osure'proceeds.

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, and the manner in which it may be made and used, maybe better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the inside face of one form of blank from which a merchandise carton having a four sided tubular body may be assembled in accordance with this invention, certain parts being broken away to illustrate structural details;

. and thereby lock the inner end wall panel and associated FIG. 2 is another plan view of the inside face of the the partially assembled blank shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the carton shell as it would appear after the tubular body there-of has been expanded into a position to receive merchandise inserted through one or both ends thereof;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the merchandise display carton as it would appear after the merchandise has been inserted into the tubular body thereof, and while the end closure structures thereof are being raised into end closing position;

FIG. -6A is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the carton as it would appear when viewed along line 6A-6A 3 a of FIG. 6, which illustrates in further detail the manner in which the end closure structure engages the lock flap extending from the adjacent end of the top wall forming body panel and swings the same inwardly as the end closure structure is progressively raised :into final end closing position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mechandise display carton of this invention as it would appear when packed with merchandise and fully closed, certain parts being broken away to illustrate structural details;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section of the carton shell as viewed along line 8-8 of FIG. 5, and as it would appear when the tubular body thereof has been erected and the end closure structures remain collapsed;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section of the fully erected car ton as the same would appear when viewed along line 9-9 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9A :is a fragmentary section of the end closure structure, top wall forming body panel and associated inturned lock flap of the erected carton, and which illustrates in clearer detail the manner in which the inturned lock flap interlocks with the abutment lip presented by the erected end closure.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the inside face of another form of blank from which a hexagonal shaped merchandise carton may be assembled according to this invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the blank shown in FIG. 10 in process of assembly into a collapsed carton forming shell;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the completed carton shell as it would appear when the tubular body thereof has been expanded into hexagonal form to receive a merchandise charge, this view also showing the end closure structure thereof in process of erection to provide locked end closures for the tubular body;

FIG. 13 is a vertical section of the cart-on as viewed along line 1313 of FIG. 15, and which illustrates the manner in which a merchandise article, shown in phantorn lines, may be mounted within the carton and effectively cushioned against external shock;

FIG. '14 is a transverse section of the carton shown in FIG. 13 as it would appear when viewed along line 1414 thereof; and

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the merchandise inserting end of the carton shown in FIG. 13, and as it would appear before the collapsed end closure structure is swung into carton closing position, and which closing movement operates to automatically erect and interlock the end closure structure to the tubular body and additionally places the inner end panel thereof into supporting engagement with the contained article.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings and the specification.

Merchandise cartons may be made in accordance with this invention from one-piece blanks of paperboard, fibreboard or like sheet material, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 10. Each blank generally presents a tubular body forming part B and an end closure forming part C at one or both ends of the body donning part as selectively desired. The body forming part of the carton as assembled is polygonal in form, and may be composed of any desired even number of body forming panels which together provide a tubular'body which may be square,-

rectangular, hexagonal or octagonal in transverse section.

The blank shown in FIG. 1 is designed to provide a merchandise carton whose tubular body B is rectangular in cross-section, and accordingly presents four body formingpanels 1, 6, 7 and 8 and a securing flap 1a in series arrangement and respectively foldably joined by longitudinally extending substantially parallel scores 1', 6', '7' and 8. considered as providing the bottom wall of the carton,

the panel 7 may be considered as providing the top or I In this arrangement, the body panel 1 may be cover wall of the carton, and the panels 6 and 8 may be considered as providing the opposite side walls of the carton. The body forming panels 1, 6, 7 and 8 may be of any desired length and any desired width, to provide a four sided carton which is relatively shallow or relatively deep in depth, and of appropriate length to best accommodate the particular merchandise to be packaged therein.

The end closure forming structure C may be provided at only one or at both ends of the tubular body of the carton, as desired. In the blank shown in FIG. 1, an end wall forming structure C is provided at each end of the blank and constitute end extensions of the bottom forming body panel 1. The end closure forming extensions at the opposite ends of the blank shown in FIG. 1 are similar in form and each comprises an outer end wall panel or section 2 hinged by a transverse score 2 to the end of the bottom forming body panel 1, a connecting spacer section 3 foldably joined by a transverse score 3' to the outer end wall panel 2, an inner end wall panel or section 4 foldably connected by transversely extending segmental scores 44' to the adjacent connecting spacer section 3, and a foot forming securing fiap 5 foldably connected by a transverse score 5' to the inner end wall panel 4. Each of the outer end wall panels 2 is shaped and dimensioned to substantially conform to the cross-sectional dimension of the tubular body part B when fully erected. Each inner end wall panel 4 is shaped and dimensioned to telescope into the erected tubular body, to extend substantially parallel to the associated outer end wall panel 2, and spaced inwardly therefrom by a distance corresponding to the longitudinal length of the associated connecting spacer section 3, when the foot flap 5 is secured to the inner face of the bottom forming body panel of the tubular carton body.

To secure and maintain the end wall structure as erected fixedly interlocked to the erected tubular body, an abutment lip 4a, formed as an edge extension of the inner end wall panel 4 and defined by a U-shaped cut 4" which joins the segmental scores 4'4', is designed to project from the inner end wall panel 4 when the associated end closure structure is erected and its end wall panel 4 is telescoped into the erected tubular body of the carton. The abutment lip 4a is designed to be interlockably engaged by a lock flap 9 foldably connected by a transverse score 9' to the adjacent end of the top wall forming body panel 7 of the carton, and which lock flap presents an abutment edge 9a designed to snap into bracing abutment against the adjacent abutment lip 4a when the lock flap is swung inwardly by the erecting movement of the adjacent end wall structure C.

In the event it is desired to provide the tubular body of the carton with a transparent window through which the carton contents may be viewed, the tubular body forming part B of the blank as shown in FIG. 1 may be provided with a window forming cut-out 10, which may be confined to the central area of the top wall forming body panel 7 only, or may be enlarged to also extend into the adjacent side wall forming body panels 6 and 8 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The window opening 10 cut from the blank shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has been shown for purposes of illustration as rectangular in form, although any desired shape of window opening may be provided. This rectangular window opening 10 presents a peripheral edge 10' which defines the inner rim of the fibreboard or paperboard constituents of the opaque side wall forming body panels 6 and 8, and wherein the side wall forming body panel 6 presents a full length panel section 6a having end leg sections 6b at each end thereof which are foldably joined by aligned transverse scores 6' to the end sections 7a of the top wall forming body panel 7. The opposite side wall forming panel 8 likewise presents a full length panel section 8a having end leg sections 8b at each end thereof which are foldably joined by score segments 7'-7 to the adjacent end sections 7a of the top wall forming body panel '7.

A transparent window forming sheet a, formed of such material as cellophane, polyethylene, polypropylene or like transparent sheeting, is heat sealed or adhesively bonded to the inside face of the paperboard or fibreboard portions of the blank which surround the perimetrical edge 10' of the opening 10. The transparent window forming sheet 10a is applied after the paperboard or fibreboard blank has been printed, out and scored to the proper shape and form. Thus, the prepared blanks,- with or without transparent windows, provide integral one-.

piece blanks which can be assembled into collapsed shell form at high speed on an automatic gluing and folding machine.

In assembling carton shells from one-piece blanks formed as shown in FIG. 1, the blanks may be successively fed into a high speed automatic gluing and folding machine with the inside face of the blank facing upward. As successive blanks continuously advance, the machine operates to apply strips of adhesive g to the inside face of the foot forming securing fiaps 5 which constitute components of the end closure forming extensions C of the blank. In the next operation, the closure forming extensions C are folded along the transverse scores 3, placing the foot flaps 5 in overlying adhesive engagement with the inside face of the bottom forming body panel 1 as shown in FIG. 2. In the following operation, the tubular body forming part B of the blank is folded along the longitudinal score 7' which places the side wall forming body panel 8 and associate securing flap 1a in overlying relation to the inside face of the top wall forming body panel 7 as shown in FIG. 3. This operation encounters no interference when the tubular body forming part B of the blank presents a window opening 10 covered by a transparent window forming sheet 10a. Prior to or during this folding operation, a strip of adhesive g is applied to the outside face of the body securing flap 1a as shown in FIG. 3. In the final and third folding operation as shown in FIG. 4, the bottom wall forming body panel is folded along the transverse score 1' in overlying relation to the inside face of the side wall forming body panel 6, and pressed into adhesively bonded relation to the body securing flap 10.

Since it is desirable to provide a body securing flap 1a of sufiicient longitudinal length for adhesive securement to the full longitudinal length of the bottom wall forming body panel 1, corner cut-outs 5a may be formed in the end closure forming extensions C of the blank as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and into which the ends of the securing flap 1a interfit as shown in FIG. 8, when the blank is fully assembled into collapsed carton form. These corner cut-outs may be formed without materially weakening the end closure structure of the carton. It will be appreciated, however, that the notch cut-outs 5a may be eliminated, if the body securing flap 1a is adhesively bonded to the outside face of the bottom wall forming body panel 1; or alternatively, if the securing flap 1a is formed as a side edge extension of the bottom wall forming body panel for adhesive securement to the inside face of the full length panel section 8a of the side wall forming body panel 8.

The collapsed carton shells as thus formed are particularly designed for automatic erection, merchandise filling and closing in a high speed operation by feeding the collaped shells and corresponding charges of selected merchandise into an automatic packaging machine. As the initial step, the collapsed carton shell, assembled as shown in FIG. 4, is automatically expanded as shown in P165 to provide an expanded tubular body part B into which the merchandise charge may be inserted through either one or both open ends thereof. Alternatively, one of the collapsed end closure structures C may be swung into erected end closing position before the merchandise charge is inserted through the other open end of the tubular body.

The collapsed end closure structures C are separately or simultaneously swung into end' closing position as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6A, by swinging the outer end wall panel 2. into closing position, and which operates to progressively erect the end wall structure, with resultant insertion of the inner end wall panel 4 into the tubular body of the carton. During this erection movement of the end wall structure, the abutment lip 4a extending from the inner end wall panel 4 engages the adjacent outwardly extending lock flap 9 and progressively swings the same inwardly, as shown in FIG. 6A, until the lock flap 9 extends substantially parallel to the top wall forming body panel 7 or top wall section 7a of the carton as shown in FIG. 9A. When the swinging and erecting movement of the end closure structure C has been completed, the abutment lip 4a will have been moved inwardly beyond the abutment edge 9a of the lock flap 9, whereupon the resilient lock flap 9 will expand and snap into abutment against the adjacent connecting spacer section 3 of the end wall structure, with the free edge 9a of the lock flap 9 in abutment against the projecting abutment lip 4a of the end wall structure. When the end wall structure C has thus been erected and locked in end closing position, the contents filled cartons as shown in FIG. 7 are discharged from the packaging machine for customer delivery.

To provide a filled and fully packaged carton of attractive finished appearance, the side wall forming body panels 6 and 8 should be desirably provided with slight end extensions 60 and as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, which extend slightly beyond the ends of the transverse scores 2 and 9' which respectively define the ends of the bottom wall forming body panel 1 and the top wall forming body panel 7. When so formed, the outer end wall panel 2 of the end wall structure C will be snugly pocketed slightly within the end extensions 60 and 8c of the side wall forming body panels 6 and 8.

If it is desired to permanently seal either one or both end wall structures C in carton closing position, the side edges of the outer end wall panel 2 of the end closure structure may be provided with laterally extending glue fiaps designed to be adhesively bonded to either the inner or outside faces of the adjacent side wall forming body panels 6 and 8; or alternatively, the end edges of the side wall forming body panels 6 and 8 may be provided with glue flaps adapted to be adhesively bonded to either the inside or outside face of the outer end wall forming panel 2 of the adjacent end closure structure C.

To further illustrate the many different shapes and forms of merchandise cartons which may be made to embrace the novel principles of this invention, FIG. 10 illustrates a blank which presents a tubular body forming part B having more than four side wall forming panels, and associated end wall closure extensions C whose inner and outer end wall panels are appropriately shaped to provide end closure structures for the multi-walled tubular body part B. For purposes of illustration, the body forming part B of the blank shown in FIG. 10 is shown as presenting six body panels 11, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 and an associated securing flap 19a, all foldably joined in series arrangement by longitudinally extending scores 11', 16', 17, 18, 19' and 20'. When the body forming part B of this blank is assembled into tubular form, the erected tubular body is generally hexagonal in transverse crosssection as indicated in FIG. 12.

The blank shown in FIG. 10 presents an end wall forming structure C at both ends of the blank, each comprising an outer end wall forming panel 12 of generally hexagonal form which is foldably joined by transverse score 12' to the end of the main body forming panel 11. A connecting spacer section 13 is foldably joined by a transverse score 13' to that edge of the hexagonal end wall panel 12 which is diametrically opposite the hinging score 12'. An inner end wall forming panel 14 is foldably joined to the connecting spacer section 13 by a pair of transversely aligned score segments 14'-14. A foot flap 15 is foldably connected to the inner end wall panel 14 by a transverse score 15' which is diametrically opposite the score segments 14'14'.

Means are provided to lock the assembled and erected end closure structure C in end closing position with respect to the expanded tubular body B which includes an abutment lip 1411 which projects from the inner end panel 14, and is captured from the connecting spacer section 13 by a U-shaped cut 14" whose ends are joined to the aligned transverse score segments 14'-14. The abutment lip 14a thus forms a planular projection of the inner end wall panel 14 when the panel 14 is folded along the spaced segmental scores 14'14. The abutment lip 14:: is designed to interlock with the abutment edge 21a of a lock flap 21 foldably joined by a transverse score 21' to that body panel 18 which will overlie the end spacer section 13 when the carton formed from the blank is erected and closed.

The blank shown in FIG. 10 may be assembled into collapsed shell form at high speed in a limited number of simply executed gluing and folding operations by feeding successive similar blanks into a right angle gluing and folding machine. For example, as the successive blanks advance through the automatic gluing and folding machine, strips of adhesive g are first applied to the foot flaps forming a part of the end closure structures C of the blank. In the first folding operation, the end closure forming extensions C .are folded along the transverse scores 13 so as to place each foot flap 15 in adhesively bonded relation to the inside face of the main body panel 11 as shown in FIG. 11. To permit convenient folding assembly of the tubular body forming part B of the blank, and to also permit convenient erection and expansion of the hexagonal shaped tubular body, corner notches 15a as shown in FIG. 10 are formed in the otherwise hexagonally shaped inner end wall panel 14 of the end closure structure C so that when the foot flap 15 has been adhesively secured to the inside face of the main body forming panel 11 as shown in FIG. 11, no part of the inner end wall panel 14 will overlap the longitudinal scores 16 and which define the longitudinal edges of the main body foming panel 11.

After the end closure structures C have been assembled in collapsed shell form as shown in FIG. 11, a strip of adhesive g is applied to the outside face of the securing flap 19a, and the securing flap 19a substantially simultaneously folded to overlie the inside face of the adjacent body panel 20 to which it is hinged. In the third folding operation immediately following, the tubular body forming part B of the blank is folded along the longitudinal score 16' as shown in FIG. 11, so as to place the body panels 17, 18 and 19 of the blank in overlying relation to body panels 16, 11 and 20. The free longitudinal edge of the body panel 19 is then pressed into adhesively bonded relation to the previously inturned securing flap 19a. Alternatively, it will also be appreciated that the securing flap 19a may be secured to the outside face of the body panel 19, or the securing flap 19a may be hingedly joined to the longitudinal edge of the body panel 19 for adhesive securement to either the inside or outside face of the body panel 20.

The collapsed carton shell formed from the blank shown in FIG. 1 is advantageously adapted for erection, merchandise filling and end closing by feeding successive collapsed shells and corresponding merchandise charges into an automatic packaging machine. The end closure structures C of the modified carton shown in FIG. 12 are erected and locked in end closing position in the same manner as the end closures structures C of the carton shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and previously described. Thus, when the outer end panel 14 of the end closure structure C is swung into end closing position, the inwardly swung inner end panel 14 engages the adjacent lock flap 21 and swings it into parallelism with the inner face of the body panel 18 to which it is transversely hinged. When the end closure structure C has reached its final end closing position, the inner abutment edge 21a of the inturned lock flap 21 snaps into abutting engagement against the abutment lip 14a extending from the inner end wall panel 14 of the end closure structure, and thereby normally prevents outward movement of the end closure structure.

The tubular body part B of the carton may be composed of any even number of hingedly joined body forming panels, and the tubular body part thereof may be made of any desired length which best accommodates or displays the merchandise packaged therein. While the body forming part B of the blank shown in FIG. 10 does not show a transparent window formed in the body panels thereof, it will be appreciated by reference to the blank shown in FIG. 1 that separated individual window openings can be formed in the center areas of each of the body panels 16, 17 and 18, which openings are then covered by a common transparent sheet. Alternatively, a common window opening may be formed in the intermediate areas of the body panels 17, 18 and 19 which is then covered by a common transparent sheet.

It will also be appreciated that the opposite end wall forming body panels 16-17 and 1920 may be made of substantially the same width, or substantially lesser in width, than the opposite bottom and top wall forming body panels 11 and 18. Thus, it is evident that the tubular body of the carton may be given almost any desired shape, configuration and appearance which is best designed to adequately protect and advantageously display the merchandise packaged therein.

The preferred manner and sequence to be followed in erecting, merchandise charging and closing the cartons is determined by the nature of the contents to be packaged therein. In cases where the character and form of the merchandise so permits, the merchandise may be charged through one or both ends of the expanded tubular body, and thereafter the end closure structures C may be separately or simultaneously swung into endclosing position. Where it is most convenient to insert the merchandise through only one end of the erected tubular body, one of the end wall structures C may be swung into and locked in end closing position, before the merchandise is inserted through the opposite open end of the expanded tubular body B; and after which the companion end closure structure is swung into closed position. This procedure can be advantageously followed when a relatively fragile or other delicate article is to be packaged, such as a fragile merchandise article M shown in phantom lines in FIG. 13.

For example, the opposite inner end wall panels 14 of the end structures C when closed may be employed to provide cushioning support for the opposite ends of a fragile article M which thereby protects the fragile article against damage as a result of external shock. In such cases, each of the inner end wall panels 14 of the end structures C may be suitably punched, or suitable centering holes 1412 formed therein, into which the opposite ends of the delicate merchandise article may be mounted or seated, and which thus operate to maintain the packaged article in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the tubular body of the carton, and in spaced and shock insulated relation to the body panels of the tubular body as indicated in FIG. 13.

From the above disclosure and drawing illustrations, it is evident that numerous and varied shapes and forms of merchandise carton-s may be constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention for the advantageous packaging of a wide variety of merchandise products. As hereafter explained, merchandise cartons may be constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, whose tubular body is composed of four, six, eight or more even numbered tubular body forming panels, having the same or different transverse widths, and with or without one or more display windows separately or collectively formed in the body panels thereof. These cartons may be shaped and formed for the packaging of candies in the form of pellets, balls, irregular pieces, bars, sticks and other configurations, as well as other edible products. Cartons made in accordance with the principles of this invention may also be advantageously used for the packaging of cigars, pipes, smoking sets and like materials; and also wearing apparel of numerous kinds and forms such as gloves, handkerchiefs, scarves, socks, stockings, lingerie, sweaters and the like.

In addition, cartons embracing the principles of this invention may be advantageously used for the packaging of fragile articles, such as neon light tubes, radio tubes, delicate instruments, gauges, tools and toys, and wherein the fragile article may be cushioned against damage from external shock, by suspending the article between the inner end wall panels of the opposite end closure structures thereof and thereby centering the article in spaced relation to the outer end wall panels of the end closure structures and the side panels forming the tubular body of the carton.

Although it may be desirable in certain cases to seal the merchandise contents within the carton so that the carton cannot be thereafter opened without leaving visible evidence of tampering, the abutment lips 4a or 14a in cooperation with the lock flap 9 or 21 nevertheless provide useful and advantageous means for maintaining the end closure structure C thereof in end closing position during initial packaging, and prior to permanent sealing of the carton. The cartons may be permanently sealed in various ways, for example, by enclosing the filled cartons in a sealing wrap, or by applying sealed closure cups to the ends of the filled carton, or by providing sealing flaps extending from the sides of the outer end panel 2 or 12 of the filled carton which are designed to be adhesively bonded to the inner or outside faces of the adjacent tubular body panels, or by providing end flaps extending from the body panels of the filled carton which can thereafter be adhesively bonded to the outer end panel 2 or 12 of the end closure structure. Such permanent end seals for the carton must first be broken to obtain access to the contents.

Once the end seals are broken, it will be noted that the end closure structure C may be swung into open position without lacerating or destroying the same, effected by inserting a fiat and thin instrument between the connecting spacer section 3 or 13 and the lock flap 9 or 21, and thereby lifting the lock flap 9 or 21 out of engagement with the abutment lip 4a or 14a, and which operation thereby unlocks the end closure structure so that it may be swung open. Thus, the end closure structure of this invention may thereafter serve the purpose of a reclosable closure for the carton.

From the above disclosure, it will be appreciated that carton forming blanks made in accordance with this invention and illustrated for purposes of exemplification in FIGS. 1 and 18, need be imprinted or decorated on one side thereof only. For example, a large stock sheet or roll of selectedpaperboard or fibreboard material is first imprinted on one side thereof only with a series of printed patterns to appear on the outside of the assembled cartons. The printed sheet or roll is then run through a cutting and scoring machine to produce the individual one-piece blanks. Where a window opening has been formed in the body forming part of the carton blank, a window pane forming transparent sheet is heat sealed or adhesively bonded to the inside face of the blank. Thus, the one-piece carton forming blanks may be pro duced economically, by high speed machine methods and with minimum labor.

The prepared blanks can likewise be converted into collapsed shell form, economically and at high speed in a single pass through an automatic gluing and folding machine. The collapsed shells may be machine erected, filled with selected merchandise and their end closure structures swung into closed position and automatically 10' locked against inadvertent opening movement, entirely automatically and at economical cost.

While certain novel features of this invention have been disclosed herein and are pointed out in the claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A merchandise carton having an expansible tubular body presenting foldably connected body panels into which the merchandise may be inserted through an open end thereof, and an expansible end Wall structure designed to support the tubular body in expanded position, said end wall structure including an outer end wall panel and an inner end wall panel respectively foldably connected at adjacently spaced edge portions thereof to one of said body panels and foldably joined at other adjacently spaced edge portions thereof by a connecting spacer section, an abutment lip captured from said connecting spacer section and extending from said inner end wall panel, and a lock flap foldable inwardly for disposition between the outer face of said connecting spacer section and the inner face of the adjacent body panel to which the lock flap is foldably connected, the free edge of said inturned lock flap being designed to abut said abutment lip to thereby maintain said end wall structure and the collapsible tubular body in expanded position.

2. A merchandise carton having an expansible tubular body presenting foldably connected body panels into which the merchandise may be inserted through an open end thereof, and an expansible end Wall structure at each end of said tubular body operative to support the tubular body in expanded position, each of said end wall struc-' tures including an outer end wall panel and an inner end wall panel respectively foldably connected at adjacently spaced edge portions thereof to one of said body panels and foldably joined at other adjacently spaced edge portions thereof by a connecting spacer section, an abutment lip captured from each of said connecting spacer sections and extending from the associated inner end wall panel, and a pair of lock flaps each foldable inwardly for disposition between the outer face of the adjacent connecting spacer section and the inner face of the adjacent body panel to which the lock flap is foldably connected, the free edge of each of said inturned loc'k flaps being designed to abut the abutment lip of the adjacent end wall structure to thereby maintain .said end wall structures and the collapsible tubular body in expanded position.

3. A merchandise carton having an expansible tubular body presenting foldably connected body panels into which the merchandise may be inserted through an open end thereof, at least one of said body panels having a window opening formed in the intermediate portion thereof which is covered by a sheet of transparent material, and an expansible end wall structure designed to support the tubular body in expanded position, said end wall structure including an outer end wall panel and an inner end wall panel respectively foldably connected at adjacently spaced edge portions thereof to one of said body panels and foldably joined at other adjacently spaced edge portions thereof by a connecting spacer section, an abutment lip captured from said connecting spacer section and extending from said inner end wall panel, and a lock flap foldably inwardly for disposition between the outer face of said connecting spacer section and the inner face of the adjacent body panel to which the lock flap is foldably connected, the free edge of said inturned lock flap being designed to abut said abutment lip to thereby maintain said end wall structure and the collapsible tubular body in expanded position.

4. A merchandise carton having an expansible tubular body presenting foldably connected body panels into which the merchandise may be inserted through one end thereof, and in expansible end wall structure designed to support the tubular body in expanded position, said end wall structure including an outer end wall panel foldably joined to an end of a first body panel, an inner end wall panel foldably joined to said outer end wall panel by connecting section and foldably joined to said first body panel in spaced relation to said outer end wall panel, an abutment lip captured from said connecting section and extending from said inner end wall panel, and a lock fiap hingedly connected to a second body panel and foldable inwardly for disposition between the inner face of the second panel and the outer face of said connecting section, the free edge of said inturned lock flap being designed to abut said abutment li-p to thereby maintain said end wail structure and the collapsible tubular body in erected position.

'5. A merchandise carton having an expansible tubular body presenting foldably connected bottom, top and side wall panels into which the merchandise may be in serted through one end thereof, and an expansible end wall structure at each end of said tubular body operative to support the tubular body in expanded position, each of said end wall structures including an outer end wall panel folda-bly connected to one end of said bottom wall panel, end wall panel toldably connected to said outer end wall panel by an inner top wall section and also foldably connected to said bottom wall panel in spaced relation to said outer end wall panel, an abutment lip captured from said inner top wall section and extending from the inner end wall panel of each of said end wall structures, and a lock flap hingedly connected to each end of said top wall panel and foldable inwardly for disposition between the inner face of the top wall panel and the outer face of said inner top wall section of the adjacent end wall structure, the free edges of said inturned lock flaps being designed to abut the abutment lips of the adjacent end wall structures to thereby maintain said end wall structures and the collapsible tubular body in erected position.

6. A merchandise display carton having an expansible tubular body presenting foldably connected bottom, top and side wall panels into which the merchandise may be inserted through one end thereof, said top wall panel having a window opening formed in the intermediate portion thereof which is covered by a sheet of transparent material, and an expansible end wall structure designed to support the tubular body in expanded position, said end wall structure including an outer end wall panel foldably connected to one end of said bottom wall panel, an inner end wall panel foldably connected to said outer end wall panel by a connecting section and also toldably connected to said bottom wall panel in spaced relation to said outer end wall panel, an abutment lip captured from said connecting section and extending from said inner end wall panel, and a lock flap foldably connected to the adjacent end of said top wall panel and foldable inwardly for disposition between the inner face of the top wall panel and the outer face of said connecting section, the free edge of said inturned lock flap being designed to abut said abutment lip to thereby maintain said end wall structure and collapsible tubular body in erected position.

7. A merchandise display carton having an expansible tubular body presenting foldably connected bottom, top and side Wall panels into which the merchandise may be inserted through one end thereof, said top wall panel and adjacent side wall panels having a common window forming cutout in the adjacent intermediate portions thereof which is covered by a sheet of transparent material, and an expansible end wall structure at each end of said tubular body operative to support the tubular body to expanded position, each of said end wall structures including an outer end wall panel foldably connected to one end of said bottom wall panel, an inner end wall panel folda bly connected to said outer end wall panel by a connecting section and also foldably connected to said bottom wall panel in spaced relation to said outer end Wall panel, an abutment lip captured from the connecting section and extending from the inner end wall panel of each of said end wall structures, and a lock fiap foldably connected to each end of said top wall panel and foldable inwardly for disposition between the inner face of the top wall panel and the outer face of the connecting section of the adjacent end wall structure, the free edges of said inturned lock flaps being designed to respectively abut the abutment lips of the adjacent end wall structures to thereby maintain said end wall structures and the collapsible tubular body in erected position.

8. A collapsible carton shell designed for high speed erection, filling and closing which includes, a collapsible tubular body presenting a plurality of body forming panels hingedly joined in series arrangement by parallel extending scores, a collapsible end structure which presents an outer end wall panel connected by a transverse score to a first body panel, a connecting section hinged by a transverse score to said outer end wall panel, an inner end wall panel hinged by a transverse score to said connecting section, and a securing flap hinged by a transverse score to said inner end wall panel and secured to the inner face of said first body panel, said inner end wall panel presenting a projecting abutment lip captured from the adjacent connecting section, and a lock flap hingedly connected to the end of another body panel which is adjacent to and lies in a plane parallel to the plane of said connecting section when the carton shell and end structure is expanded.

9. A collapsible carton shell designed for high speed erection, filling and closing which includes, a collapsible tubular body presenting a plurality of body panels and a securing flap hingedly joined in series arrangement by parallel extending scores and with said securing flap bonded to the inner face of the adjacent body panel, a collapsible end structure at each end of said tubular body, each of said end structures presenting an outer end wall panel connected by a transverse score to an end of a first body panel, a connecting section hinged by a transverse score to said outer end wall panel, an inner end wall panel hinged by a transverse score to said connecting section, and a securing flap hinged by a transverse score to said inner end wall panel and secured to the inner face of said first body panel, each of said inner end wall panels presenting a projecting abutment lip captured from the adjacent connecting section, and a pair of lock flaps each hingedly connected to an end of another body panel and having a longitudinal length which substantially corresponds to the longitudinal length of the connecting section of the adjacent end structure.

10. A collapsible carton shell designed for high speed erection, filling and closing which includes, a collapsible tubular body presenting a bottom panel, a first side panel, a top panel, a second side panel and a securing fiap hingedly joined in series arrangement by parallel extending scores and with said securing flap bonded to the inner face of said bottom wall panel, said top wall panel and adjacent first and second side wall panels having a common window forming cutout in the adjacent intermediate portions thereof which is covered by a sheet of transparent material, a collapsible end structure at each end of said tubular body, each of said end structures presenting an outer end wall panel connected by a transverse score to an end of said bottom panel, a connecting section hinged by a transverse score to said outer end wall panel, an inner end wall panel hinged by a transverse score to said connecting section, and a securing flap hinged by a transverse score to said inner end wall panel and secured to the inner face of said bottom wall panel, each of said inner end wall panels presenting a projecting abutment lip captured from the adjacent connecting section, and a lock flap hingedly connected to each end of said top wall panel and having a longitudinal 13 length which substantially corresponds to the longitudinal length of the connecting section of the adjacent end structure.

11. A merchandise carton forming blank which presents, a plurality of body forming panels and a securing fl-ap hingedly joined in series arrangement by parallel extending longitudinal scores and designed for assem- -bly into a tubular body, an end closure forming structure presenting an outer end wall panel connected by a transverse score to one of said body forming panels, a connecting section hinged by a transverse score to said outer end wall panel, an inner end Wall panel hinged by transverse score to said connecting section, and a securing flap hinged by a transverse score to said inner end wall panel, said inner end wall panel presenting an abutment li-p extension captured from the adjacent connecting section, and a lock flap hingedly connected to another body forming panel and having a longitudinal length which substantially corresponds to the longitudinal length of the connecting section of the adjacent end closure structure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner. 

1. A MERCHANDISE CARTON HAVING AN EXPANSIBLE TUBULAR BODY PRESENTING FOLDABLY CONNECTED BODY PANELS INTO WHICH THE MERCHANDISE MAY BE INSERTED THROUGH AN OPEN END THEREOF, AND AN EXPANSIBLE END WALL STRUCTURE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE TUBULAR BODY IN EXPANDED POSITION, SAID END WALL STRUCTURE INCLUDING AN OUTER END WALL PANEL AND AN INNER END WALL PANEL RESPECTIVELY FOLDABLY CONNECTED AT ADJACENTLY SPACED EDGE PORTIONS THEREOF TO ONE OF SAID BODY PANELS AND FOLDABLY JOINED AT OTHER ADJACENTLY SPACED EDGE PORTIONS THEREOF BY A CONNECTING SPACER SECTION, AN ABUTMENT LIP CAPTURED FROM SAID CONNECTING SPAC- 